Dentists

To help you get a broader beam and wider smile this summer, the NHS is encouraging you to regularly visit a dentist.

You no longer have to be registered with a dental practice to get advice and treatment.

There are currently many practices accepting new patients in Coventry and Rugby. Although you may not have been to visit a dentist for a while or don’t have one, regular check ups can help prevent serious dental problems in the long run.

If you need help with finding an NHS dentist in Coventry and Rugby, visit the 'Finding an NHS dentist' section on the NHS Choices website. Should you have an dental emergency outside of normal surgery hours please call 0845 608 0275.

More information from the NHS

What can I expect from my NHS dentist?

All treatment that is clinically necessary in your dentist’s opinion to protect and maintain good oral health is available on the NHS.

All treatment that is, in your dentist’s opinion, clinically necessary to protect and maintain good oral health is available on the NHS.

If you want to have any cosmetic dental treatment, such as tooth whitening, this will be done privately. You should ask your dentist how much this will cost in addition to any charges for NHS treatment.

provide a leaflet that includes information about the dental practice and its services

What your NHS dentist should not do

Your dentist should not:

charge you for missed NHS appointments; however, if you miss any, your dentist can decide not to offer you treatment in the future

suggest that NHS treatment is sub-standard

make you pay privately for an examination to assess whether you will be accepted for NHS treatment

offer NHS treatment to children on the condition that a parent or guardian becomes a private patient

Although some dentists provide NHS treatment for children while also taking on adults as private patients, offering treatment for your children should not be used as a way of persuading you to sign up for private treatment.

What you should do

As a patient, you are advised to:

give your dentist as much notice as possible if you have to cancel or change an appointment

ask for a written treatment plan for any band of treatment, if you are not given one